News: Google+ Hosts First Hangout on Air with will.i.am

One of the most exciting new features announced by Google+ was the ability to broadcast hangouts live via YouTube, which was recently demonstrated with the very first Google+ Hangout On Air with +will.i.am of the Black Eyes Peas.

Before the official Hangout On Air, +will.i.am provided a music video - the long-play version of "Don't Stop The Party", to whet Google+ users' appetite.  

The hangout itself was very low-key and laid-back, as +will.i.am answered questions about his music and how he wanted to use Google+. There was a lot of confusion as many visitors were frustrated and unable to join the hangout, since the 10 person limit is still in place. (Google has hinted that it could possibly allow more people to join hangouts, but it's a work in progress.) Within the hangout, there were some minor technical issues, as people forgot to mute their mics and made noise, accidentally bringing attention to themselves when they didn't mean to, or overlapping with other people.

Overall, it was a pretty fun hangout that brought out the best in Google+: the ability to connect with otherwise unattainable or geographically distant people virtually. +will.i.am mentioned that he thought people like Larry Page and Biz Stone, the people who create platforms for connecting, are the "rock stars of our age", and he wanted to do everything possible to promote those connections. 

Did you miss last night's hangout? Not to worry. +will.i.am is hosting another one on September 30th. What did you think of the broadcasted hangout? Are there still too many technical hurdles to overcome, or do you think the feature should be rolled out to everyone?